Frasher 1

Lexi Frasher

Miss Cook

Composition

15 November 2017

A Critical Film Analysis of Fried Green Tomatoes

To begin with, Purdue Owl states, Feminist Criticism is concerned with the ways in

which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political,

social, and psychological oppression of women. This school of theory looks at how aspects of

our culture are inherently patriarchal (male dominated) and this critique strives to expose the

explicit and implicit misogyny in male writing about women. To sum that up, Feminist

Criticism focuses on how the female characters are portrayed in literature all across the board

and how they are treated differently and even viewed differently than their male counterparts.

Todays world is a patriarchal society and it definitely shows in film and traditional literature all

across the board. Most works today focus on a dominant male who runs it all and the only female

role is just viewed as arm candy for the important male lead. Fried Green Tomatoes is different

than most works because while it has a few of the traditional female leads that involve women

being inferior to men, it also focuses on Idgie Threadgoode, a woman that redefines what it

means to be a woman in todays society.

To begin with, Fried Green Tomatoes is a movie that centers around a small town named

Whistle-Stop Alabama. In the movie, there are many important characters; the most important

are Evelyn Couch, Ruth Jamison and Ninny Threadgoode. Evelyn is a middle-aged woman that

is obese; she has terrible self esteem. One day she visits the nursing home and meets a woman

named Ninny; Ninny begins to tell her an elaborate story about a woman named Idgie
 Frasher 2

Threadgoode. Idgie is a woman that defies the culturistic gender roles and redefines femininity.

Idgie has a habit of empowering every woman around her and she always stands up for what she

believes in; she is the true main character in this movie. The last character that will be discussed

is Ruth Jamison, Ruth has been friends with Idgie Threadgoode for years; she is the polar

opposite of Idgie. Ruth is timid and follows the predestined gender roles that society sets out for

her. She is a homegrown girl that is very prim and proper that every woman is expected to be in

this time period. Ruth gets into an abusive relationship and this is where the whole plot of the

movie comes into view because Idgie makes it clear that a man treating a woman like that is not

acceptable.

First and foremost, Evelyn Couch is extremely insecure which causes her to take on a

more submissive role in the movie. She is constantly doing whatever she can to please her

husband. Whether its making him nice dinner every night or just doing bizarre things to try to

get his attention; she never feels like she is enough for him. A particular instance that illustrates

her role in society is in the movie when she makes a spectacular dinner for her husband to

surprise him after work; she sets the table up very nice and fancy and meets him at the door to

walk him to the dinner table. When he arrives, he blows her off and grabs his plate off the table

and goes in the living room to sit down and watch a game. This shows how Evelyns husband

thinks hes superior to her. This also demonstrates the patriarchal society that we live in, men put

women at the bottom of the list and do not respect them no matter how hard they try to prove that

they are just as good as men.

Secondly, the next character that fits the typical gender norms in the patriarchal society is

Ruth Jamison. In the movie, Ruth gets into an abusive relationship but nobody knows that he is

abusing her. This is another instance where a man thinks he is superior to a woman and where
 Frasher 3

the woman takes on a more submissive role. After he would beat her, she would thank God for

giving her the strength to live through it. This shows how warped our society is because instead

of being strong and leaving the man, the woman often times will just stay and hope to make it

through because the man will use his power and masculinity to scare the woman out of leaving.

Next, Idgie Threadgoode, the main character in the movie enters the scene at Ruth

Jamisons house. Idgie is the woman that redefines the common roles for men and women in the

movie. She goes to visit her long lost friend Ruth and notices she has a shiner. Idgie is smart

enough to realize that Ruth got the black eye by being beat by her husband. Not only does Idgie

convince Ruth to get out of her abusive relationship, she also stands up to Ruths husband and

threatens to kill him if he ever touches Ruth again. This is truly iconic because at this time

period, a woman standing up to a man like that is completely unheard of. Idgie is essentially

taking on traits that a male typically would possess and the world either loves her or hates her for

it.

Lastly, the best thing Ms. Idgie Threadgoode does throughout the movie is empower

women all around her. After Ninny tells Evelyn all about Idgie she becomes a totally different

person. She starts to lose weight, become confident, and make her happiness priority instead of

her husband's. Idgie also empowers Ruth by getting her to leave her abusive relationship. After

this, Ruth and Idgie start their own cafe, this again was iconic at this time because two women

owning their own business in unheard of. This movie shows both ends of the spectrum, the

powerless women that shake in the presence of men and the powerful women that defy

everything society sets out for them to be and make men shake in their shoes. Idgie stands up to

bullies, the Klu Klux Klan and even the police and judges. She is not scared of men and knows

that women have more power than most might ever know.
 Frasher 4

In conclusion, Steven Lynn writes,

Females have been depicted in literature and culture as either Mary or Eve, the angelic

mother or evil seductress. Such a representation of women, especially in works by men,

serves to make women unreal, other, the absence of maleness, rather than anything

positively female or mutually human: this vision is especially pernicious when it is

perceived to be natural or realistic.

This quote shows why Feminism is important and why it should be implemented into more

literature. When literature is written, the women is often left in the dust and the women that are

present are portrayed as the weaker sex. Fried Green Tomatoes is a good example of how

modern literature should be written because it doesnt follow the traditional rules for writing

about women; it is focused around Idgie Threadgoode, a woman that empowers and influences

Evelyn and Ruth. Evelyn Couch and Ruth Jamison are initially portrayed as powerless, weak,

and submissive women. Idgie is the heroine that saves and empowers Evelyn and Ruth. Hats off

to Fannie Flagg for her iconic storyline of Fried Green Tomatoes and for her implementation of

strong female characters in her novel.

Works Cited
 Frasher 5

Feminist Criticism (1960s-present). Owl Purdue Online Writing Lab, Allen Brizee, J.

Case Tompkins, Libby Chernouski, Elizabeth Boyle, April 21, 2010,

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/11/.

Flagg, Fannie. Fried Green Tomatoes. December 27, 1991.

https://www.amazon.com/Fried-Green-Tomatoes-Kathy-

Bates/dp/B000ICZD4I/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1510667516&sr=1-

1&keywords=fried+green+tomatoes.

Lynn, Steven. Gendering the Text: Feminist Criticism, Postfeminism, and Queer

Theory. Texts and Contexts: Writing About Literature with Critical Theory. Sixth

Edition, Longman, 2011.

Rubric rating submitted on: 11/29/2017, 8:06:11 PM by danielle.cook@redstreaks.org

4 3 2 1 0

W.1.a: Hook (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Introduction demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
demonstrated) paragraph a couple errors multiple errors Introduction
Introduction captures the exist) exist) paragraph
paragraph reader's Introduction Introduction captures the
captures the attention. paragraph paragraph reader's
reader's captures the captures the attention.
attention. reader's reader's
attention. attention.

W.1. a: Intro (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt) A

Summary creatively A brief demonstrate, but demonstrate, but brief summary
Your score: 4 demonstrated) A summary of the a couple errors multiple errors of the text(s)
brief summary text(s) analyzed exist) A brief exist) A brief analyzed is
of the text(s) is given to summary of the summary of the given to
analyzed is anticipate the text(s) analyzed text(s) analyzed anticipate the
given to reader's is given to is given to reader's
anticipate the knowledge anticipate the anticipate the knowledge
reader's level--no more reader's reader's level--no more
knowledge than a couple knowledge knowledge than a couple
level--no more sentences. level--no more level--no more sentences.
than a couple than a couple than a couple
 Frasher 6

sentences. sentences. sentences.

W. 1.a: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt)

Introduce creatively Intro paragraph demonstrate, but demonstrate, but Intro paragraph
Claims demonstrated) clearly a couple errors multiple errors clearly
Your score: 4 Intro paragraph introduces the exist) Intro exist)Intro introduces the
clearly claims of the paragraph paragraph claims of the
introduces the body clearly clearly body
claims of the paragraphs. introduces the introduces the paragraphs.
body claims of the claims of the
paragraphs. body body
paragraphs. paragraphs.

W.1.a: Thesis (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted, but (Attempted, but (no attempt
Your score: 4 creatively The last a couple errors multiple errors made) The last
demonstrated) sentence is a exist) The last exist) The last sentence is a
The last thesis statement sentence is a sentence is a thesis statement
sentence is a that is clear, thesis statement thesis statement that is clear,
thesis statement sophisticated, that is clear, that is clear, sophisticated,
that is clear, and insightful. sophisticated, sophisticated, and insightful.
sophisticated, and insightful. and insightful.
and insightful.

W. 1. a: Topic (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted, but (Attempted, but (No attempt
Sentences creatively Each body a couple errors multiple errors made) Each
Your score: 4 demonstrated) paragraph exist) Each body exist) Each body body paragraph
Each body begins with a paragraph paragraph begins with a
paragraph clear, begins with a begins with a clear,
begins with a sophisticated, clear, clear, sophisticated,
clear, and insightful sophisticated, sophisticated, and insightful
sophisticated, topic sentence. and insightful and insightful topic sentence.
and insightful topic sentence. topic sentence.
topic sentence.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Organization & creatively Claims, demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Claims,
Sequencing demonstrated) counterclaims, a couple errors multiple errors counterclaims,
Your score: 4 Claims, reasons, and exist) Claims, exist)Claims, reasons, and
counterclaims, evidence are counterclaims, counterclaims, evidence are
reasons, and effectively reasons, and reasons, and effectively
evidence are structured and evidence are evidence are structured and
effectively organized in a effectively effectively organized in a
structured and logical structured and structured and logical
organized in a sequence. organized in a organized in a sequence.
logical logical logical
sequence. sequence. sequence.
 Frasher 7

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Significance of creatively The significance demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) The
Claims demonstrated) of the claims is a couple errors multiple errors significance of
Your score: 4 The significance clearly exist) The exist) The the claims is
of the claims is established for significance of significance of clearly
clearly the audience the claims is the claims is established for
established for throughout the clearly clearly the audience
the audience body. established for established for throughout the
throughout the the audience the audience body.
body. throughout the throughout the
body. body.

W. 1. c: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Transitions creatively Thoughtful demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)Thoughtfu
Your score: 4 demonstrated) progression of a couple errors multiple errors l progression of
Thoughtful ideas and details exist) exist) ideas and details
progression of with sound Thoughtful Thoughtful with sound
ideas and details transitions to progression of progression of transitions to
with sound show connection ideas and details ideas and details show connection
transitions to between points with sound with sound between points
show connection and paragraphs. transitions to transitions to and paragraphs.
between points show connection show connection
and paragraphs. between points between points
and paragraphs. and paragraphs.

W. 1. b: Focus (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Maintains a demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)Maintains
demonstrated) consistent focus a couple errors multiple errors a consistent
Maintains a throughout. exist) Maintains exist) Maintains focus
consistent focus Thesis is a consistent a consistent throughout.
throughout. effectively focus focus Thesis is
Thesis is woven throughout. throughout. effectively
effectively throughout Thesis is Thesis is woven
woven every body effectively effectively throughout
throughout paragraph, with woven woven every body
every body ideas always throughout throughout paragraph, with
paragraph, with related back to every body every body ideas always
ideas always thesis in order to paragraph, with paragraph, with related back to
related back to prove the central ideas always ideas always thesis in order to
thesis in order to claim. related back to related back to prove the central
prove the central thesis in order to thesis in order to claim.
claim. prove the central prove the central
claim. claim.
 Frasher 8

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Examples & creatively Contains demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Contains
Details demonstrated) effective, a couple errors multiple errors effective,
Your score: 4 Contains specific, exist) Contains exist) Contains specific,
effective, relevant effective, effective, relevant
specific, examples and specific, specific, examples and
relevant details to back relevant relevant details to back
examples and up major claims examples and examples and up major claims
details to back in each body details to back details to back in each body
up major claims paragraph. up major claims up major claims paragraph.
in each body in each body in each body
paragraph. paragraph. paragraph.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Reflection of creatively Clear reflection demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Clear
Evidence demonstrated) on the evidence a couple errors multiple errors reflection on the
Your score: 4 Clear reflection is referenced exist) Clear exist) Clear evidence is
on the evidence from the text reflection on the reflection on the referenced from
is referenced and thoroughly evidence is evidence is the text and
from the text and clearly referenced from referenced from thoroughly and
and thoroughly explained to the the text and the text and clearly
and clearly audience. thoroughly and thoroughly and explained to the
explained to the clearly clearly audience.
audience. explained to the explained to the
audience. audience.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Consideration of creatively Demonstrates demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Prompt demonstrated) thoughtful a couple errors multiple errors Demonstrates
Your score: 4 Demonstrates consideration of exist) exist) thoughtful
thoughtful the task & Demonstrates Demonstrates consideration of
consideration of thoroughly thoughtful thoughtful the task &
the task & answers the consideration of consideration of thoroughly
thoroughly prompt or the task & the task & answers the
answers the assignment thoroughly thoroughly prompt or
prompt or requirements. answers the answers the assignment
assignment prompt or prompt or requirements.
requirements. assignment assignment
requirements. requirements.

W. 1. f: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Rephrase Thesis creatively Conclusion demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Your score: 4 demonstrated) restates thesis a couple errors multiple errors Conclusion
Conclusion and supports the exist) exist) restates thesis
restates thesis claims in the Conclusion Conclusion and supports the
 Frasher 9

and supports the essay. restates thesis restates thesis claims in the
claims in the and supports the and supports the essay.
essay. claims in the claims in the
essay. essay.

W. 1. f: So What (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Conclusion demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
demonstrated) offers closure a couple errors multiple errors Conclusion
Conclusion and leaves the exist) exist) offers closure
offers closure reader thinking Conclusion Conclusion and leaves the
and leaves the by answering offers closure offers closure reader thinking
reader thinking the So What? and leaves the and leaves the by answering
by answering question. The reader thinking reader thinking the So What?
the So What? significance the by answering by answering question. The
question. The major claim is the So What? the So What? significance the
significance the clear to the question. The question. The major claim is
major claim is reader. significance the significance the clear to the
clear to the major claim is major claim is reader.
reader. clear to the clear to the
reader. reader.

L. 2: Sentence (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Complexity/Vari creatively Sentence variety demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Sentence
ety demonstrated) is effective and a couple errors multiple errors variety is
Your score: 4 Sentence variety sophisticated. exist) Sentence exist) Sentence effective and
is effective and variety is variety is sophisticated.
sophisticated. effective and effective and
sophisticated. sophisticated.

W. 1. e: Style & (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Tone creatively A formal style demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) A formal
Your score: 4 demonstrated) A and objective a couple errors multiple errors style and
formal style and tone is exist) A formal exist) A formal objective tone is
objective tone is established and style and style and established and
established and maintained. objective tone is objective tone is maintained.
maintained. established and established and
maintained. maintained.

W. 1. d: Word (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Choice creatively Word demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Word
Your score: 4 demonstrated) choice/vocabula a couple errors multiple errors choice/vocabula
Word ry is exist) Word exist) Word ry is
choice/vocabula sophisticated choice/vocabula choice/vocabula sophisticated
ry is and effective. ry is ry is and effective.
sophisticated sophisticated sophisticated
 Frasher 10

and effective. and effective. and effective.

W. 4: Clarity (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Writing is clear, demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Writing is
demonstrated) concise, and a couple errors multiple errors clear, concise,
Writing is clear, strong. exist) Writing is exist) Writing is and strong.
concise, and clear, concise, clear, concise,
strong. and strong. and strong.

L. 2: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Capitalization & creatively Sentences demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Sentences
Punctuation demonstrated) demonstrate a couple errors multiple errors demonstrate
Your score: 4 Sentences correct exist) Sentences exist) Sentences correct
demonstrate punctuation and demonstrate demonstrate punctuation and
correct capitalization. correct correct capitalization.
punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and
capitalization. capitalization. capitalization.

L. 2: Spelling & (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

RO/Frag creatively There are no demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) There are
Your score: 4 demonstrated) spelling errors, a couple errors multiple errors no spelling
There are no run-ons, and/or exist) There are exist) There are errors, run-ons,
spelling errors, fragments. no spelling no spelling and/or
run-ons, and/or errors, run-ons, errors, run-ons, fragments.
fragments. and/or and/or
fragments. fragments.

L. 1: Usage (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Correct and demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Correct
demonstrated) consistent verb a couple errors multiple errors and consistent
Correct and tense is present; exist) Correct exist) Correct verb tense is
consistent verb words are used and consistent and consistent present; words
tense is present; correctly. verb tense is verb tense is are used
words are used present; words present; words correctly.
correctly. are used are used
correctly. correctly.

W. 8: Relevant (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Information creatively The quotes used demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) The
Your score: 4 demonstrated) in each body a couple errors multiple errors quotes used in
The quotes used paragraph are exist) The exist) The each body
in each body relevant and quotes used in information paragraph are
paragraph are effectively each body from research relevant and
 Frasher 11

relevant and support the paragraph are used in each effectively

effectively thesis and the relevant and body paragraph support the
support the claims. effectively are relevant and thesis and the
thesis and the support the effectively claims.
claims. thesis and the support the
claims. thesis and the
claims.

W. 8: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Integrating creatively Information demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Information demonstrated) from the text is a couple errors multiple errors Information
Your score: 4 Information integrated into exist) exist) from the tex is
from the text is the essay Information Information integrated into
integrated into selectively to from the texh is from the tex is the essay
the essay maintain the integrated into integrated into selectively to
selectively to flow of ideas, the essay the essay maintain the
maintain the avoiding selectively to selectively to flow of ideas,
flow of ideas, plagiarism, and maintain the maintain the avoiding
avoiding overreliance on flow of ideas, flow of ideas, plagiarism, and
plagiarism, and the text. avoiding avoiding overreliance on
overreliance on plagiarism, and plagiarism, and the text.
the text. overreliance on overreliance on
the text. the text.

W. 8: Citations (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Each demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Each
demonstrated) quote/paraphras a couple errors multiple errors quote/paraphras
Each e is exist) Each exist) Each e is
quote/paraphras appropriately quote/paraphras quote/paraphras appropriately
e is cited using in- e is e is cited using in-
appropriately text citations. appropriately appropriately text citations.
cited using in- cited using in- cited using in-
text citations. text citations. text citations.

L. 3: MLA (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Format creatively Paper is demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Paper is
Your score: 4 demonstrated) formatted a couple errors multiple errors formatted
Paper is according to exist) Paper is exist) Paper is according to
formatted MLA formatted formatted MLA
according to guidelines, according to according to guidelines,
MLA including: MLA MLA including:
guidelines, heading with guidelines, guidelines, heading with
including: name, teacher, including: including: name, teacher,
heading with class & period, heading with heading with class & period,
name, teacher, and date, name, teacher, name, teacher, and date,
 Frasher 12

class & period, centered title, class & period, class & period, centered title,
and date, and correctly and date, and date, and correctly
centered title, formatted centered title, centered title, formatted
and correctly paragraphs. and correctly and correctly paragraphs.
formatted formatted formatted
paragraphs. paragraphs. paragraphs.

Comments:
Total: 100/100 A

Fantastic work, Lexi. This was a challenging essay, but you did a wonderful job analyzing the
gender roles in your movie. The essay is very clearly organized and you support each point with
clear examples from the movie without lapsing into summary. You also explained the theory
very well. The hook is not the most engaging, but it's okay. Something to think about for future
essays. Overall, the word choice is very advanced and specific. Also, your analytical points are
very clearly stated. Nice work!